Friday, July 23, 2010

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This is a story about a real-life situation here in Wasco State Prison. To be honest with you I didn’t want to share this, but I’ll tell you my side of the story as I seen it! Oh yeah, also living in it! I am in WSP as an inmate without proper drinking water. I’m talking about clean water.

It’s 2:30 p.m., 7/15/10. We have no clean water to drink. I’ve been here since 7/9/10 and today was the first time that someone mentioned that there has been a problem for months with the water here. Today I heard someone on the intercom say, “Do not drink water,” stay away from the water! I’ve been drinking the water for days, now I hear it’s contaminated with “e-coli” among other things.

I ain’t the smartest, but I do know that something’s wrong here; someone here that controls that issue has failed at keeping safe drinking water for us.

We were given the heads-up about not to drink the water at 2:30 p.m. OK, thanks! What do we now drink? The word has been “It’s on its way” for almost six hours: It’s 10 p.m. now. Time to speak out!

10:30 p.m.: Did I mention that I’m in Wasco, California (Bakersfield)? It’s about a sweaty, thirsty, 90 degrees in here. That’s what the thermometer says. It feels like 120 degrees, easy! And has all day here. I feel like I am in the desert—oh yeah, we are in the desert! Shit’s about to go down. Two hundred-plus inmates without water for several hours now—what do you think? We need no better excuse! Did I mention prison inmates?

The words cruel and unusual punishment cross my mind. What do you have when 200-plus inmates have been without showers or drinking water for hours? Oh, I mean angry/thirsty gang members, and a few thirsty drunk drivers as well. (A beer sounds nice.)

Just got word: Fresh water’s here! OK, now, how fresh is it? Oh, it’s been boiled down. Does that kill e-coli, botulism, etc? My bad, I don’t know how to spell the words but I do know what they mean: feces. Human/animal feces, to say it nicely. Right? I now heard it’s been going on for weeks, but now it’s being told. No one said anything as I got here, no mention of it in receiving. No mention of failed tests, five times this month! So why were we given foods and beverages made with this water? The state of California has problems. I now realize why I have cramps and the headaches. It’s the water! For the last seven days! A referral to a lawyer would be nice. These people here act like money’s coming out of their checks for the water!

Somebody please call Arnold! We need “The Germinator”! I hope this is not part of his big budget-saving tactics.

Next day, 7/16/10, 8:30 a.m.: Posted memo states that it’s “e-coliforms.” Shit. Speaks about boiling water, and not to do this and that. We have no source to do any of the procedures to boil/filter, etc.; we’re in jail, duh! There’s one Igloo [cooler] for 200 inmates. Also, here’s a number to get info: 661-758-8400. Oh, water’s gone in minutes, still no solution. They say it’s been contaminated for weeks now—why are we barely being told not to drink it? What about those on lockdown here, with no way to reach for an Igloo? But that’s a different subject.

Years ago I wrote the Santa Barbara News-Press about certain police officers using a bit of force. Could you run this story and if possible set me up with a subscription for The Independent?—John John Ramirez, #T. 92587, Wasco, CA

The purpose of prison is supposed to be REHABILITATION, and not punishment. Unfortunately, while the reality not be exactly that, it still falls upon the government, acting as the representative of the people, to care for those under its supervision. This has nothing to do with "fun", and everything to do with prisoners having their basic life needs met, such as potable water.

However, if you want to take things like television out of the prisons, I'm ALL for that!

Prison/jail ain't for everyone. If you haven't committed a crime then prison/jail ain't for you. If you commit crimes & are a habitual offender, guess where you're going?Try staying out of trouble & you'll probably succeed in staying out of prison/jail.For the time being, "to be honest w/ you" all I'll say is deal w/ it, you're part of the system.There'll always be a beer waiting for you on the outside, but maybe it was 1 beer too many that got you in there in the 1st place? :) henry

On approximately February 14,2013, the Felony Fugitive-Michael Johnson Norris was extradited to the United States through the co-operation of the United States Embassy, the State Department, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Investigators and Costa Rican Officials.

On February 27, 2014, a year later, Norris was sentenced in Santa Barbara County Superior Court to 3 years State Prison under the terms of a plea deal offered to him by the State of California.

Because of jail time credits during the prosecution, the convicted sexual offender, Michael Johnson Norris, will be paroled in only a matter of months if he survives his WASCO STATE PRISON stay.

While he will be registered as a sex offender it should be noted that he is married to a Costa Rican National, Exxxxxxxx Cxxxxxx Norris, and he also owns and resides on farm property located just 10 minutes outside Quepos, Costa Rica. Under the terms of his parole in the United States, Norris could be allowed to return to Costa Rica and of course subject to the entry laws of Costa Rican Immigration. Costa Rica will not be protected under the umbrella of Meghan's Law or Norris' GPS tracking device, provisions that were made at the time of his sentencing.

Whether Norris stays in the United States or makes his way back to Costa Rica one thing is absolutely certain: Norris will try to reintegrate with the Jehovah's Witnesses Religion where his sex offender "status" will not be made known to congregants. In fact, Norris was attending the Quepos English Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses right up to the date of his extradition from Costa Rica.

Norris was a high profile Elder in the Carpinteria Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses in the United States while he was perpetrating his sex abuse crimes. Once back within a congregation, Norris will also be allowed to go door to door as Jehovah’s Witnesses do in their preaching activity. Norris' guilt still is not established within the religion because there was not a "second witness" to the abuse he perpetrated. These are internal policies held by Jehovah's Witnesses and they will not see Norris as a "convicted sex offender" because he accepted a plea bargain. This means that upon his return to Costa Rica, if permitted, he will be able to go undetected or marked as a child sex offender by the Jehovah’s Witnesses and surrounding communities where they preach from house to house.

For Costa Rican Officials, Jehovah's Witnesses and surrounding Communities: PLEASE BEWARE. Michael Johnson Norris is a Convicted Sexual Predator that will use his knowledge and the avenue of the Jehovah's Witness religion and their egregious policies to act out against innocent children and their families once again.

I bet ole whiner beanie baby would be guzzling peirre right about then....Everybody seems to forget. Prisoners get out of prison. Sometimes they get sick and die a costly death. We have no excuse is this type of treatment leads to further problems!